Jeff Coatney was born in a meteor crater in Middlesboro, Kentucky on October 16, 1966. A mix of Russian, Ukranian, German and Native American (Cherokee) ancestry, the family name used to be Kotnj, but was changed to Coatney early in the nineteenth century. Showing an interest in, and an aptitude for art, Jeff spent his early years drawing and painting. When he was 9 years old, his parents allowed him to apprentice with a group of elderly painters for a year. Besides Jeff, the youngest person in the group was fifty. Jeff would continue his art studies, with private lessons and apprenticeships (most notably to acclaimed Equestrian painter Robert Cloyd) learning to paint like the masters. He would go on to study painting and art history in Europe, focusing on Spanish Impressionism, at The Prado in Madrid.While in high school, Jeff fell in love with acting and the theatre, while performing the role of Otto Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank. He would go on to act in plays and student films in college, some of which he directed. This led to his first professional breakthrough, winning Male Talent of the Year at the International Modeling and Talent Association competition in New York City (1987). Agents, Screen tests and prize money were all offered, but a desire to finish college won out.After college, Jeff attempted to enter the Florida film industry by moving to Orlando. After spending seven years in Orlando, working on many fun and cool projects as a designer in consumer products and theme parks, Jeff finally made the move to Los Angeles. Show less «